as the old expression used to go, this ain't rocket science. after superstorm sandy did not even the blow to the jobs market they feared, administration officials are sounding confident. >> there could be changes, but for all intents and purposes, this report looks to me like a steady report. >> as for the fiscal cliff, there appears to be a momentary break in the clouds when john boehner said he would be open to a tax rate increase on wealthier americans, just what the president wants. >> there are a lot of things possible, but none of it will be possible if the president insists on his position, insists on my way or the highway. hours later boehner put out a statement saying as i've said many, many, many times, i oppose tax rate increases because it cost american jobs. that has not changed and will not change. democrats say that just won't work. >> could it be because the republicans are holding the middle income tax cuts, as they have all along, hostage to tax cuts for the wealthy. >> after a week where republicans and the house and senate s